Easter

Easter was so fun having my parents here. The boys had more fun this year especially since it was snowing last year.
Getting ready to decorate eggs the night before Easter:

Ross couldn't help decorate, but he had fun anyways.

My dad has been COLD ever since his heart surgery. Being here in 30/40 degree weather was really chilling him. This is what he looked like a lot. The inside of my house was 68 degrees, but he was still cold. At least we had lots of blankets. Poor Dad! We thought he looked like a sith lord from Star Wars when he fell asleep like this. ;)

I prepared for the worst. I stripped the kids and put old adult shirts on them because I was sure they would get messy. I was impressed, this is all we got:

Good Job boys!

Easter Morning:

We have church in the morning, so we're usually up early and busy getting ready. Being Easter Sunday, we were a little extra busy. First the kids found this from loved ones. We get gifts from loved ones instead of the Easter Bunny because we are celebrating with each other the wonderful gifts that our Savior has given us on this day and not trying to focus on things that don't exactly coincide with that. We might have still gone a bit overboard with gifts, but we still tried to keep our focus.

Then we got ready for church. We had to go a little earlier than usual because Donovan and I had to practice for the sacrament program. I was in the choir for a few special numbers and Donovan was singing a duet with his friend Abby. During church Abby got a little scared and wouldn't go up to sing. Donovan was so brave. He sang a solo in front of the whole congregation! He needed me to stand by him at first (I was already up with the choir) but we had practiced beforehand and he knew all two verses of "Jesus Once Was a Little Child" and he sang it beautifully by himself! I was so proud of him! My little boy is growing up! So many people came up to us afterwards and commented that they cried and that Donovan's song was the best part of the program. I had to agree, of course.

The Earl bunch

We were invited for Easter lunch/dinner at our good friends Tom and Stephanie Smith's house. They are always opening their home to all of us transplant families that moved to Michigan with no other family close. We've been to their house for almost every holiday that we've lived here for. They've become part of our family. They sit with the boys and I on Sundays while Dan is doing his stake duties. They keep an eye out for us and we love them very much. Well, they didn't mind us bringing my parents along to their potluck get together. I think there were at least 50 people there enjoying the company. We ate and the kids even got to whack at an Easter egg pinata. I forgot my camera and nobody even brought our cell phone cameras. I wish I had been able to take pictures.

Once we got home, we had our own Easter egg hunt in the backyard. There wasn't any snow this year, but the wind sure made it chilly. The boys had so much fun and hid the eggs for each other over and over again till it was just too cold.

I might get a blue-eyed boy yet. Ross's are definitely the lightest, so they might stay.

We had great Easter celebrations.

It was great being able to celebrate the life and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. His gift of the Atonement always leaves me in awe. It makes me sad that He suffered because of some of the mistakes that I have made and continue to make. But I know he loves me and through this selfless act I can repent and be forgiven and someday strive to live with my Savior and Heavenly Father again. I know that He was also crucified through cruel and ignorant acts. I know that it was in our Heavenly Father's plan for this to happen. He loves us so much and knew that this was the only way. On Easter, we focus on our Savior's resurrection. Jesus Christ has led the way, through His example, for all of us to be resurrected one day. I strive to follow the examples that Jesus has taught us in the scriptures. I'm not perfect by any means, but there's always something to improve upon. I love my Savior, I know that He lives, even now, and wants us to choose to make good decisions so that we might live with him again.